Love That Hurts Like Hate
by Moonglow gal
Summary: [songfic] It's time for the final battle, with Inuyasha, Kouga, and Sesshomaru working together. But when Inuyasha transforms, all hell breaks loose. Can Kagome wake him before he does something he will regret forever? Or is he already beyond regret?


Love That Hurts Like Hate

I am going to have so much fun with this...

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha now...but when my plans for world domination are complete, I SHALL RULE ALL!!!!!!!! Beware...the penguins are coming...

* * *

A mass of hundreds of demons stood on a once open field. At the fringes of the crowd stood twenty wolf demons and scores of demon soldiers, all wearing the emblem of the Western Lands. The fighters' eyes were cold as they surveyed their foes. 

In the center stood their allies, four people and a large demon cat, five feet tall at the shoulder, facing outwards. They faced demons of all kinds: some cats, some bears, some snakes, some wearing a human form. The quartet's and armies' mutual opponents all had one thing in common: they each had a spider scar on their backs.

Of the four, one figure stood out. He was wearing a bright red haori and hakama, an old, battered-looking sward strapped to his waist. His long hair shone silver in the gray morning, as a pair of dog-ears twitched on top of his head. Once one considered the fact that he was a half demon (his father was a dog demon), this wasn't unusual at all.

Two women stood on either side of him. The one on the left looked younger than he was, just barely eighteen, probably. She wore a green kimono, well fitted but loose enough to allow her a wide range of movement. Her left hand squeezed a good quality bow, and a full quiver of arrows was strapped to her back.

It was this young woman who the half-demon turned to. "Kagome," he said tentatively.

"Yes, Inuyasha?" she responded a bit testily. "If this is about the whole 'the battle is too dangerous for me and I should stay hidden with Shippo' thing, forget it, okay? I've put way too much into this quest to back out now."

"But—"

"No buts, Inuyasha! We settled this last night. I'm staying and that's that." She glared at him threateningly.

"Fine, then, but…I…"

"What?"

"Look, just take care of yourself. I'll never speak to you again if you die on me, got that?" He averted his amber eyes during this mumbled warning, his own cheeks flushed a lovely pastel shade of rose.

A smile grew on her face as she squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Don't worry, I'll be careful. And Inuyasha?"

"Yeah?" He locked his eyes onto her gray ones.

"_Please_," she said anxiously, "Do _not_ let go of your sword. I don't want—"

He smirked, although his orbs were just as uneasy as hers. "Nothing to worry about. Tetsusaiga stays in its sheath or my hands for the whole battle. You have my word."

"O…kay…" she said, as though not completely convinced.

"Kagome…" He ran one of his clawed hands through her wavy, black hair as his eyebrows drew closer together in concern. "_Don't worry_. You just take care of yourself, okay? Don't get yourself so distracted with worry that you forget to watch out for your own safety."

She smiled weakly, unsettled by this rare gesture of affection. "Okay." There was much more surety in this utterance the second time around.

On Inuyasha's other side, the other woman, close to twenty, stroked the cat demon's back. "Hold on, Kirara," she soothed the feline, growling and ready to fight. "Be patient. The battle's about to begin."

She adjusted her grip on her main weapon, a huge boomerang bone, about a foot taller than her. Her black exterminator's uniform stretched easily over well-used muscles. Pink armor protected her shoulders, stomach, and legs, and a mask hung around her neck. The paraphernalia was a painful reminder of her past as a demon exterminator. However hurtful the memories were though, her fighting skills were invaluable to her friends.

A face popped up over Kirara's back, a cheerful one, with hair messily pulled back and violet eyes shining with cheerfulness. It was quite the sharp contrast to the woman's serious countenance, with its well-tamed ponytail and sharp maroon eyes. The man who the face belonged to beamed at her. "Lovely day for a long, grueling battle, isn't it, Lady Sango? Look at that brilliant sun!" He gestured at the cloudy sky. "And all these cheerful, smiling faces!" He majestically swept a hand across the panorama of malicious demons.

She grinned ruefully at him, unable to resist his jovial, innocent-seeming face. Even on the brink of a world's-fate-deciding battle, he still preserved the ability to bring a smile to her face. "Lord Monk, if we get out of this alive, you have to teach me how you stay alive with a sense of humor like that. Small wonder someone hasn't killed you for it yet."

He nodded, his eyes squeezed shut in mock anguish. "Ah, such a lonely life! A man with my humor, my wit, and, of course, my good looks, suffering such miserable loneliness…"

Sango smirked slightly, thinking, 'Miserable, my ass…literally.'

"…must learn to keep a smile on his face, even through the darkest of times! Look where it's gotten me! A cheerful, brotherly companion…" –he gestured dramatically at cranky, isolationist Inuyasha– "…a sweet-tempered, fragile maiden…" –he nodded to Kagome, known for regularly losing her temper with Inuyasha and blowingmany of her battle opponents to pieces with her sacred arrows– "…and most of all, you, lovely Sango, the most beautiful, kind, tolerant young lady I could have to grace my presence. All of you are such wonderful traveling companions!"

"Can it," she muttered, not unkindly. She furtively rubbed her pink cheeks. 'Damn hormones,' she thought.

Thankfully, she was saved from more of the monk's gentle, winsome teasing by Kagome. "Miroku," the girl called over her shoulder. "Can you see Naraku anywhere?"

He snapped to attention, eyes sweeping over the hordes of demons in front of him. Sango followed suit. She narrowed her eyes, straining to locate their main opponent, the "father" of the army posed before them. Naraku was a half-demon just like Inuyasha, seeking the powerful Shikon Jewel to make him into a full demon. Half of it hung around Kagome's neck, the product of a years-long search for the shards of the shattered Jewel. Naraku held the other half.

Although everyone made an effort to catch a glimpse of white baboon fur, Naraku's usual apparel, no one found him. She growled in frustration, knowing that he was powerful enough to change his shape. He could appear as a prince, a courtesan, an old man. The only way they could possibly know who he was would be if Kagome saw the glow of the Shikon Jewel anywhere on him. Only she was able to see its sacred light.

Miroku said hopefully, "Maybe Kouga and his demon wolf warriors will find him. Or maybe Sesshomaru and his Western Land army will."

Inuyasha growled. "They'd _better_ not. The killing blow is mine."

"Not to mention you'd never forgive your romantic rival" ("What?!" Inuyasha yelped) "or your hated half-brother for getting to him first. It would make you look weak, am I right?"

Inuyasha squawked in protest, voice choked in denial and embarrassment. Everyone else chuckled slightly, having dealt with and gotten to know Inuyasha's more arrogant side.

Just as quickly, they all tensed. The air seemed to crackle with hatred as the demons began to draw closer toward them. "And so begins the last chapter of our battle against the Shikon Jewel," Kagome whispered.

The demons struck.

_**1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111**_

"Shit!" Sango's epithet sliced through the cacophony of inhuman shrieks and groans. Inuyasha whipped around and gasped involuntarily. She was surrounded by a swarm of venomous wasp demons, too many for her weapons to be of any avail against. One drew dangerously close to her, venom dripping menacingly from its stinger.

Another voice answered her cry. "Wind Tunnel!" Inuyasha didn't need to turn to know that Miroku had uncovered the black hole within his right hand. He watched in silent horror as the wasps were sucked away from Sango.

"Miroku! Stop!" She turned in the direction of her rescuer, eyes flashing with alarm. "If you suck those in, you'll die!"

He ignored her and braced his hand in front of himself as the wasps were drawn into his own body. Sweat poured down his face and darkened his purple and black priest's robes. A grimace of pain flashed across his face.

"Miroku, you idiot!" Spurred into action, Inuyasha streaked toward him, careful to stay out of the Wind Tunnel's path. He grabbed his arm and forced the protective cloth and holy beads back over the opening. But he was too late to stop the last of the wasps from adding its poison to that of its brothers'. "Miroku…"

He grinned painfully. "I'll be fine. Kagome already supplied me with some antidotes, just in case of this. I'll get out of the way and start recov—" His eyes suddenly squeezed shut as he let out a hiss of pain.

"Dolt…" Kagome ran up beside him. "He'll be fine. I'll get one of Kouga's men to take him away. You and Sango keep trying to find Naraku."

Inuyasha bit his lip. "Kagome." She looked up at him. "Whatever happens, don't sacrifice yourself like this lummox just did. _You must stay safe_, no matter what. Got it?"

Kagome frowned, her eyes obviously saying, "If any of you are in danger, I will do nothing of the sort." Inuyasha sighed in frustration and stood up again, immediately targeting a bear demon that had already dispatched six of the Western soldiers.

"Hey, ugly! Quit teasing the babies and come play ball with the _big _boys!" He yanked his sword out of its sheath as his opponent turned and roared. Arcing down to connect with the muscled shoulder, the weapon lost its thin, rusted, and battered appearance and took on its true form, a gleaming fang.

The bear moaned angrily Tetsusaiga bit into its shoulder. It swiped at Inuyasha in retaliation, only to swat at empty air. The half-demon had already backed a safe distance away. "Come on, you brute! Don't hold back on me!"

The bear lowered itself and began to charge.

Inuyasha's focus narrowed to the bear and the scents playing around it and himself. 'The Wind Scar…where the demon powers collide…there!' His sensitive nose detected the meeting point of his aura and the bear's. He raised his sword and prepared to swing it down the path, thus unleashing his Tetsusaiga's strongest attack.

But before his arms could begin the downward sweep, something swiped across his chest, knocking him to the ground. Winded, he clutched the Tetsusaiga and peered through the cloud of dust his fall had raised. Despite the screen, he discerned a long, rope-like shape coiled before him.

'Shit,' he thought. 'A viper demon. And knowing my luck…' He glanced down at his chest to confirm his suspicions. Twin puncture wounds on his left side bled sluggishly. Judging by the heavy bleeding, punctuated with tiny bubbles of blood, the viper had very potent venom. It could even affect him. Ignoring the rapidly growing knives of pain issuing from the bite, he stood and held his sword in a defensive position. 'Got to rid of this thing, fast. Before it gets to Kagome.'

The snake slithered toward him, weaving from side to side like the straws in a basket. When Inuyasha attempted to slice into one of the loops that the heavy body was forced to trail through, it was hauled out of the way, resulting in a sword buried six inches into the dirt. No use to Inuyasha whatsoever.

He suddenly heard familiar voices shouting.

"It's Naraku! I see his disguise!"

"Right behind you, Sango!"

He growled in frustration. Trust his exasperating friends to spot the main enemy right when he was locked in a battle with a major threat. "I'll be there in a sec! Just let me get rid of the small fry!"

Kagome, who had hesitated, nodded and took off after the demon slayer. He returned his attention to the snake. Unfortunately, it seemed to have acquired several companions, all of whom were hissing threateningly. "Oh, fuck this."

He yanked the sword out of the ground and paused for just a moment. When the serpents began to advance, he swept his sword down and yelled, "Wind Scar!" His wound notwithstanding, his shocked adversaries were sliced into bloody bits as his sword's power hit them. Unfortunately, it also minced up several of Sesshomaru's warriors. 'I'll worry about that later.'

Panting, Inuyasha raced after his friends. He could now see the flashes of white fur. Hatred surged through him as Naraku's foul scent, reminiscent of burning flesh, reached his nose.

Suddenly, he slammed into a barrier. "What the hell?!"

Rubbing his nose, Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and pushed out at the air in front of him. He touched something, miniature lightnings radiating from the visually nonexistent contact point. 'This doesn't bode well. Naraku has something planned.'

He raised the Tetsusaiga, preparing to "Wind Scar" the barrier to shreds. But before he could do anything, his sword was jerked out of his hand as something slammed him full-force into the invisible wall. 'SHIT!' he screamed mentally, as the leather-wrapped hilt slid out of his grip.

"Kagome!"

**Catch me as I fall.**

**Say you're here and it's all over now.**

He slid to the ground as a surge of fiery heat washed through his body. 'Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!' he continued to think. 'This is _not_ the time for me to go changing into a demon! Stop it, damn it, stop!'

He looked up. Kagome wasn't even a fifty feet away from him, her back turned. She should have heard him, even with her weak human ears. Then, it hit him. He felt like smacking himself on the head. Of course she couldn't hear: barriers could stop sound, too, if the creator was strong enough. And Naraku had strength to spare.

He was alone.

**Speaking to the atmosphere,**

**No one's there and I fall into myself.**

'Stop. Please, stop,' he begged to the whispering that was beginning to pick up in his head. He heard a few words clearly, in a low, insistent hiss. 'Blood…weak mortals…devour…'

"No!" He clutched his head, trying to gain control of himself. The pain of a bear's claw slashing across his chest interrupted his efforts. He grunted in pain. 'They're teaming up on me. Looks like Naraku's relying on me turning into a demon to win this.'

'Well, I can't do that! So sorry to disappoint!'

**This truth drives me into madness.**

**I know I can stop the pain if I will it all away.**

**If I will it away.**

_**1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111**_

Kagome frowned in frustration. The Naraku they had been chasing was just a golem; a kind of doll that the real Naraku could be controlling from anywhere.

She turned. Shouldn't Inuyasha be finished with the snakes by now?

"Oh no!"

Sango turned. "What is it, Kag—" She gasped. "Shit!" Tetsusaiga lay in the dirt beside Inuyasha. The half-demon himself was desperately battling the six demons surrounding him, trying to get to his sword, but to no avail. It was only a matter of time before his demon blood took over.

**Don't turn away.**

**Don't give into the pain.**

"Come on!" Kagome raced toward him. "Inuyasha, hold on!"

Any thoughts she had of somehow saving him were extinguished when she slammed into an invisible wall. "Oh, crap!"

**Don't try to hide,**

**Though they're screaming your name.**

She hammered on the barrier with her fists. "Inuyasha! Fight it! Don't give in!"

He didn't hear, and she swore yet again. She hastily drew her bow and fired an arrow at the barrier. The only result was a rain of wooden splinters.

**Don't close your eyes,**

**God knows what lies behind them.**

"Kagome." Sango rested a hand on her shoulder. "Try to break through the shield," she ordered. "I'll try to keep any would-be meddlers away. _Hurry_."

She nodded. Taking a deep breath, she set her palms against the invisible force field. "Hold on, Inuyasha," she murmured. "I'm coming." She sent a blast of energy into the barrier.

**Don't turn out the light.**

**Never sleep, never die.**

_**111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111**_

Inuyasha gasped. His vision was wavering and blurring; not a good sign. If he surrendered to his internal urgings, he would go on a killing rampage, just like all the other times he had lost control of himself. And this time…

Something inside him told him that this was his last time. His last time turning into a demon. After this, he would lose his human soul completely, and the half-demon Inuyasha would be no more. Only the bloodthirsty monster that was threatening to take over right now.

**I'm frightened by what I see,**

**But somehow I know that there's much more to come.**

This realization sent a wave of fear rippling through him. He desperately pushed against the ominous oblivion hanging over him. "I don't _want_ to be a demon!" he muttered fearfully.

**Immobilized by my fear,**

**And soon to be blinded by tears.**

"Too bad Inuyasha," said a haughty voice, scornfully emulating a motherly tone. He looked up through bleary eyes at a beautiful woman with cruel red eyes. She held a fan in her hand, from which issued small wafts of breeze that ruffled the loose ends of her tied back hair, as well as two white feathers tucked into her locks. "We don't always get what we want," she scolded. She smiled viciously.

"Kagura," he spat, his speech somewhat sluggish. "Here to carry out your master's dirty work for him?"

"Oh, no," she said softly, tapping her chin with her fan. "He's looking forward to fighting a bloodthirsty beast like what you are about to become. It may actually prove to be a challenge to him. Poor man is so bored these days, what with his near utter invincibility."

"Well, let him know that I'm sorry to disappoint him. _If_ you get back to him alive." He lunged at her, trying to let the bloodlust building up inside him have enough satisfaction to quiet down.

**I can stop the pain **

**If I will it all away.**

**If I will it all away.**

_**1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111**_

"Inuyasha, you idiot!" screamed Kagome. "Don't do it! You're only giving in!" She had guessed what he was up to, and could tell that it wouldn't end well for him.

"Damn it." She pressed harder into the barrier, ignoring the burning sensation spreading up her arms. Her hands had already gone numb, first her palms, followed by her fingers, and finally the backs. She was already losing feeling in her wrists. "This is taking too long."

She discarded the method she had been trying, firing bursts of energy into what seemed to be the barrier's weak spots. It wasn't going too well. Instead, she summoned up all of the power she could hold without losing control of it and slammed it down through her hands into the barrier. It flickered and vanished; the feeling returned to her hands in the form of a vicious pins-and-needles sensation.

**Don't turn away.**

**Don't give into the pain.**

"Yes! Sango, let's go!"

Sango nodded and put on her poison-filtering mask. Reaching into her belt, she extracted two balls of poison dust and flung them into the midst of their attackers. They exploding, flooding the demons in extremely toxic smoke. Leaving them to die by suffocation, she rushed over to Kagome.

"Be careful," Sango cautioned. "Just in case he loses control, stay behind me, all right?"

Kagome sighed, but she understood her motivation. If Inuyasha lost the battle with his demon blood, he wouldn't give a damn about who he killed. At least Sango could defend herself without harming Inuyasha too badly. Kagome's only defense was a powerful purifying arrow. Not very useful against someone she wanted to keep alive.

**Don't try to hide,**

**Though they're screaming your name.**

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled as loud as she could, trying to break through to him.

Swiping at Kagura, he froze for an instant and then screamed, "Kagome, you fool! Get _away_!"

"But…" Her eyes hardened. Inuyasha's demon aura was getting stronger by the second. If she didn't do something about his opponent, there would be no possible way for him to hold on to his human soul.

She grabbed her bow and slid an arrow into place. Aiming carefully, she whispered, "Please hit. For Inuyasha's sake." And then she let go.

**Don't close your eyes,**

**God knows what lies behind them.**

The bolt flew cleanly, slicing right past Inuyasha and burying itself in an unsuspecting Kagura's throat. The demon screamed and whipped out a feather from her hair. But before she could transform it into the giant feather she used for transport, the arrow fell out and allowed her blood to escape.

She clawed at her throat, gurgling in rage, as she slowly slumped to the ground. Her head hit the dirt, and her eyes dulled. She was dead.

"Thank god," Kagome sighed, lowering her bow.

"Nice shot, Kagome," Sango said admiringly. "Inuyasha—" She stepped forward to see if he had any wounds.

He turned, his bangs shadowing his face. But through the silver curtain, Kagome felt his intense, calculating gaze, and she shivered. "Sango, wait!"

But it was too late. He suddenly straightened up, revealing crimson eyes and purple striped cheeks. He narrowed his eyes mockingly at the exterminator and slashed at her with his claws. Kagome watched helplessly as golden claws of light whipped toward her friend. Sango screamed, more in surprise than pain, and fell heavily to the ground, bleeding.

**Don't turn out the light.**

**Never sleep, never die.**

Inuyasha turned his scornful stare on her and raised his hand. Kagome, thinking quickly, put an arrow to her bow. When he slashed down with his claws, she shot into the spot where the claws of light welled up from. As she had hoped, the arrow's purifying powers stopped the claws from forming.

All except one. She screamed as it raked at her arm, gouging into the very muscle she needed to pull back the bowstring. 'Shit.' She dropped her now useless weapons. She didn't even notice the Shikon Jewel on the earth beside her, teh claw haveing severed its chain.

"Inuyasha, please, wake up!" she pleaded.

But his chilly gaze sent shivers up her spine. "Oh, but I _am_ awake, little human. Awake, and hungry for your blood."

"N- no…" she whimpered, backing away.

"Oh yes. And don't even think that that weak _half-breed_ will come back. He's gone, asleep. _Dead_."

"No! Inuyasha!"

**Fallen angels at my feet,**

**Whispered voices at my ear.**

**Death before my eyes,**

**Lying next to me I fear.**

Her chest began heaving as pure terror overpowered her. How could she save him now? How could she save herself? Looking into his eyes, she recalled a method that had worked once before. She walked toward him slowly, forcing her feet to take each perilous step.

He eyed her in wary confusion as she walked right up to him, although obviously not without some fear.

"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered when he was almost close enough to touch. "Please," she said with another step, now near enough to embrace him. One more step, and she was right up against him. "Wake up."

With that, she pressed her lips to his, hoping, praying that it would work.

**She beckons me, shall I give in?**

**Upon my end shall I begin?**

**Forsaking all I've fallen for,**

**I rise to meet the end.**

His eyes widened in absolute shock, then narrowed dangerously. He pulled away roughly, snarling, "Insolent little bitch!"

"Inuyasha!" She firmly wrapped her arms around his neck, eyes determined, and kissed him again. This was the only thing with even a shadow of a chance of working.

"Remember, Inuyasha. I'm Kagome. I met you when I fell out of the well, you saved me from the Centipede Woman. You rescued me from the man possessed by a crow demon. You almost died for me that one night with the Peach Man." A tear leaked out of her eye. "And Kikyo. Remember her? You _loved_ her, Inuyasha. Please tell me you remember her at least."

**Don't turn away.**

**Don't give into the pain.**

He growled, not liking at all the feeling of her lips lightly brushing against his with every word she spoke. "Little wretch. I'll teach you!" He wrapped his own arms around her, but for a far different purpose.

Kagome screamed when ten white-hot pulses of pain entered her back, each inflicted by a bloody claw. But she held on tight, even when Inuyasha slowly drew his hands along her back, easily tearing her kimono and her skin alike.

She didn't, however, even attempt to control her cries of pain. Inuyasha smiled cruelly. "Shriek all you want, girl. Kagome, is it? Well, I don't think I've ever heard a sweeter sound than your screams. In fact," he dug in his claws in a new spot, "I think I want to hear them again."

**Don't try to hide,**

**Though they're screaming your name.**

Tears suddenly welled up in Kagome's eyes. 'He…he really doesn't remember me…he's really gone…'

Her arms slackened as salt water trickled down her cheeks. "Inuyasha…"

"You get it now, wench? The weak half-breed is _gone_. And I'm here to stay. Unfortunately for you, you are about to take leave of this world." He pulled out of her weakened embrace and drew back his hand, obviously relishing the thought of whatever torturous path to death he was about to put the human girl on.

Suddenly, his eyes flashed, and he lept to the side. "What do you want?" he snarled. He sniffed the air and added venomously, "_Half-breed_."

**Don't close your eyes,**

**God knows what lies behind them.**

Amid the chaos of the battle, oddly dim and unreal to Kagome's heartbroken gaze, stood a single man, long black hair streaming in the wind. Around him was wrapped the pelt of a white baboon, the head that served as a hood and mask thrown back to reveal a face lined with cruelty. His smile was icily attractive as he appraised Inuyasha.

"So, is this the great killing thing that feels neither pain nor fear?" His eyebrows lifted in cold scrutiny.

"Naraku…" breathed Kagome softly. However, he didn't even glance at her.

"Unsheathe your claws, Inuyasha. You may finally prove to be a worthy opponent." He seemed to ooze forward, his demonic speed bringing him right up into Inuyasha's face.

**Don't turn out the light.**

**Never sleep, never die.**

Or rather, he would have ended up in Inuyasha's face if the demon hadn't beaten a quick retreat, multitasking as he incapacitated one of the wolf demon warriors that came too close to him. "Heh," he smirked, cracking his knuckles. "You ain't so tough. All I have to do to defeat you is…"

"Defeat me?" Naraku's eyes narrowed in derision. "I am invincible."

"Oh, you are now. But what if…" In a motion too fast to see, he lunged forward and seemed to slash at Naraku's chest.

When he retreated, Kagome noticed a small, intense beacon of light in his clenched fist. She gasped. "He took Naraku's half of the Shikon Jewel!"

**Don't turn away.**

**Don't give into the pain.**

"Not so powerful now, are you, monkey boy?" With a victorious snarl, he charged at his opponent. Despite his violent clawing and slashing, he never released the Jewel.

Naraku, abruptly robbed of the main source of his power, could barely defend himself against the magically enhanced killing machine that has been set against him. Even so, he was strong enough on his own to sustain only minor injuries.

But his good fortune ended when one of his own mercenaries was thrown into him. In the brief moment of distraction, Inuyasha landed a killing blow. As he fell to the earth, each of his minions disappeared. The battle was over.

**Don't try to hide,**

**Though they're screaming your name.**

"Oh my god," Kagome whispered, her pain and sorrow momentarily forgotten. "He's…he's dead."

"Yes, little human," came Inuyasha's voice. "You knew him, didn't you? Well, I hope you liked him, cuz you're about to join him." He whipped around and charged at her, claws still wet with Naraku's blood.

"No!" Kagome threw up her arms, attempting to shield herself. But they provided little protection from a blow aimed at her legs. She shrieked in pain as his claws sliced through the tender muscles of her thighs. She fell to the ground, landing on her bad arm. "Inuyasha…"

**Don't close your eyes,**

**God knows what lies behind them.**

He grinned sadistically down at her. "Are you ready to die?"

He knelt down beside her and tilted her face up to his. "Does this hurt, Kagome?" He traced a precise line down the center of her lip with his claw, opening a lip-splitting cut. His grip on her cheeks remained firm when she tried to wriggle away.

She lifted her eyes to his, hoping to see one last hint of his warm amber orbs. But only vicious red filled her vision. "Inuyasha. I- I know you don't remember me anymore, but…"

His face rippled, her vision distorted by tears. "Before I die, I just want you to know that I love you." She leaned forward and kissed him one more time. Then, she tilted her chin up, baring her neck. "Go ahead and kill me now." She squeezed her eyes shut, even though the tears still leaked out.

The rough, bloodied hands suddenly released her face as a voice gasped raggedly. Her head hit the ground, banging painfully on a rock. Confused, she gazed up at him through unfocussed eyes.

**Don't turn out the light.**

**Never sleep, never die.**

"Ka- Kagome?" Inuyasha stared at the broken girl on the ground before him. The purple stripes on his cheeks faded; the red in his eyes morphed into amber.

He didn't notice any of this, however. All of his attention was focused on the stench of Kagome's blood and tears smeared all over his own claws, as well as the coppery, slightly salty taste of the same foul liquids on his lips. "What…did I do?" he stammered in horror.

All Kagome did was smile, pain, regret, and pure bliss melting into the most heartbreakingly bittersweet smile he had ever seen. And then, her eyes slid closed, and her breath hissed out of her.

"Kagome!" He lurched forward, collapsing to his knees beside her. "Oh, gods, Kagome!" In a panic, he scrabbled at her neck to find a pulse. Relief washed over him when he felt a steady beat under his fingers. He ripped off his already shredded red haori and tore it into strips.

He gently lifted her up, lips pressed into a thin line to hold back his cries of dismay. He carefully wrapped each of her wounds, then pressed a leftover strip to her cut lip. When the bleeding stopped, he gently set her down, eyes affectionate. "I'm sorry."

And then, he ran.

**Don't turn away.**

**Don't give into the pain.**

"Inuyasha, wait!"

He reluctantly halted, unwilling to let anyone see the pained tears that were threatening to overwhelm him. His pain doubled when he saw Sango and Miroku hobbling toward him, each leaning on the other for support. "Sango…" His forehead creased as he squeezed his eyes shut. "I'm so sorry."

Even as he turned to go, Miroku shouted again. "Inuyasha!"

"What?" He swung around, suddenly angry. "If you're expecting me to stay after what I just did, then you're far more stupid than I thought, Miroku! I don't deserve to stay with you anymore!"

"But Inuyasha…" He held out a hand. In it lay a perfectly spherical, rose-colored jewel. "The Shikon is complete. _You _killed Naraku. Therefore, _you_ deserve to have this." Sango nodded in agreement.

**Don't try to hide,**

**Though they're screaming your name.**

He hesitated, then stepped toward them and took it. He stared down at it, thinking hard. "What would a murderer like me deserve to have after that?" he asked bitterly.

"Inuyasha, just make a wish," Miroku ordered kindly.

"...okay." He drew himself up. "I never want to turn into a demon again. I never want to harm Kagome again. I want her to be safe. I want to protect her. No matter what it means. Even if it means that I must become permanently human, or if it means that I must die…so be it. As long as Kagome is safe, it doesn't matter."

He closed his fist over the Jewel and squeezed his eyes shut. "I love her," he whispered. "I want her to be safe, always. Please, that's all I ask."

**Don't close your eyes,**

**God knows what lies behind them.**

In response to his heartfelt request, the Jewel began to glow. Instead of its usual pink hue, itshone deep red withflecks of silver. The glow expanded to envelop him completely. The light began pulsing rapidly, forcing Miroku and Sango to take a step back.

Abruptly, it vanished, leaving only Inuyasha, standing in the exact same position he had been in before. He glanced at his fist bewildered, and unclenched it. Instead of the Jewel, he held a pile of gray ashes.

"It didn't work, did it?" he said hollowly. He let the ashes fall and trudged forward, shoving past the injured couple.

**Don't turn out the light.**

**Never sleep, never die.**

"Wait a second…Inuyasha, come back here!" Miroku stepped forward.

"What is it _now_?! Don't you see? Even the Shikon Jewel can't help me!" He had stopped, but he didn't turn around. All he did was hang his head.

"That's where you're wrong." Sango separated herself from Miroku's supporting arm, although not before making sure he could stand on his own. She put a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder and firmly swung him around. "Look!" She slid a hand under the holy rosary around Inuyasha's neck, the one that allowed Kagome to paste him to the ground whenever she said the word 'sit.'

"Yeah, what about…huh?" His initially despondent frown turned into a frown of bewilderment.

The rosary had originally been strung with five dark red beads, followed by a fang, then another five beads, and so on. But now…

"I've never seen those beads before." Miroku had managed to shuffle over to inspect Inuyasha's rosary. The beads he was indicating were of the same size as the originals. However, unlike their wooden neighbors, they were apparently all miniatures of the Shikon Jewel. Pinkish, a hint of mystery in its depths. Now, each fang was followed by such a bead, then three red beads, another new bead, and another fang.

"How odd."

Inuyasha suddenly grinned weakly. "So…maybe it did work."

Miroku nodded sagely. "The rosary now serves two purposes. I do believe these beads are meant to restrain your demon blood."

"Yeah." Inuyasha fingered one of the beads. Suddenly, his ear twitched. "Kagome!" He leaped to her side, all but bowling Miroku over in his rush to get to the injured girl. "Kagome, you're awake!"

"I heard your wish, Inuyasha," she said quietly. Was that a hint of amusement in her eyes? "Every last word of it. You're very sweet, you know."

He blushed. "Well…I…"

"Oh, and you probably don't remember, but I said this to you earlier." She pushed herself off the ground and whispered three words into his ear. "I love you." She smiled sleepily and lay back down. "Wake me up for dinner." Her eyes closed.

Inuyasha, through his shock, managed a feeble chuckle. "You bet I will. There had better be some Ramen left for you to make for me, Kagome."

* * *

Yeah, I know, stupid ending. But fics are just so hard to finish, you know? 

-sweatdrop- This is sixteen pages long on Word. And the song didn't even start until the end of the fifth page. Doesn't that just scream "pathetically obsessed fan?"

Anyway, I'll see you soon with "Blooming Promises."


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